Why is TB testing required before joining Mercy Ships?

While tuberculosis is not as prevalent in the West as it is in Africa, our volunteers are at risk of exposure while serving. We accept crew from all over the world – including areas more prone to TB infection – so we need to ensure none of our volunteers have active TB when they join, given the close living conditions on the ship a case would risk infecting the crew.

This policy is also in keeping with modern standards from multiple health organizations and infection prevention and control recommendations that all people working in a hospital (in this case, all crew) be tested annually for tuberculosis.

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